Lunar Revolutions
by TDWidow
Summary: Oz left out one important detail to Willow in "New Moon Rising." Straight from Sunnydale, he went to New York to find the country's leading expert on mutation: Jean Grey. Can the X-Men handle a werewolf or is Oz just putting more people in mortal danger?
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This is a story that I started writing a _long_ time ago, then took a considerable time away from it, then came back over a year later. Therefore, the writing in the beginning is a little uneven. Bear with me – it gets better later on =)

**DISCLAIMER** I don't own these characters. Marvel and Joss Whedon do.

…

One would think that driving almost 3,000 miles over six days would stop the voices. No such luck.

The radio had been blaring through the past four states. Thank God the "Welcome to New York" sign had appeared about twenty miles ago. He was almost there.

"_I knew, you jerk!"_

Oz put a hand to his forehead. He could still hear her.

"_But you wanted her…like, in an animal way?"_

Tears gathered in his eyes. He couldn't block the memory.

"_Like, more than you wanted me?"_

She sounded so deeply hurt, so betrayed. He couldn't live with all the pain he caused her. That was why he left.

His explanation about the wolf was true. In fact, he'd felt it getting stronger for awhile. His blackouts were beginning to break. The memories came back to him like dreams. Very few and far-between, but definitely there. He could not afford to ignore it anymore.

He figured that Veruca's influence had only drawn the wolf out. Without her, he would have been safe for a while, but not forever. He hated the wolf.

A green highway sign caught his eye. Switching lanes, he pulled off onto the ramp for the exit for Westchester. There were answers here. There had to be. Oz knew that this was his first step toward recovery. Maybe one day, things would be different. He would have control again and he'd be able to make everything right.

Highways melted into back roads as dark forests rose up around the blue van. Keeping a close eye out, Oz slowed the vehicle while he looked for his destination. Two brick columns flanking a driveway marked what he was looking for.

"_You jerk!"_

Maybe here was where he could finally make Willow's voice stop.

…

Bobby was desperately trying not to fall asleep in class. It wasn't as though he didn't like Professor Grey, just genetic biology was not his forte. He was sure that DNA and chromosomes were interesting to someone, just not him.

"Bobby?"

"Huh?" The rest of the class snickered as Bobby looked blankly at his red-haired teacher.

Jean Grey cocked an eyebrow. "I asked you what form of acids make up chromosomes."

"Uh…" Bobby racked his brain, trying to remember. It wasn't happening.

But it turned out not to matter. Jean had stopped paying attention to her class. Someone was approaching. There was something strange about him. A sudden flash of feral viciousness left Jean shaky. Putting a hand to her forehead, she said, "Class dismissed."

Her students just stared at her for half a second, then scrambled for the door. When the last student was gone, she thought, "Professor?"

An answer came inside her head. "Come to the front hall, Jean. We will meet him together."

Jean left her classroom and hurried through the spacious hallways of the building. The ivy-covered brick mansion served as both school and residence and was big enough to house teachers and students quite comfortably.

A wheelchair-bound bald man with wise eyes met her in the mansion's front hall. "Hello Jean."

"Hello Professor." She smiled warmly.

"So you felt him as well?" he asked.

"Yes." Jean's eyes flickered briefly toward the front door. "I felt something strange about him. Something deep. Almost savage."

The Professor nodded. "I agree. But I believe you sensed the same about Logan when he first arrived."

She smiled. "I suppose so."

A knock suddenly came at the large front door. Jean opened it to reveal a man in his early twenties standing on the stoop. "Hi," he said, almost nervously.

"Hello Oz," the Professor said kindly. Oz looked confused and a little suspicious that this man knew his name. But he continued. "I am Professor Charles Xavier. You are at my school for Gifted Youngsters." He moved aside and let Oz come into the foyer.

"Hi," Oz repeated. He dug a news clipping out of his pocket. Scanning it, he looked from Professor Xavier to Jean. "I'm look for Dr. Jean Grey?" He held up the clipping. "This says she's the leading expert on mutation in the country."

Jean laughed. "I might not go _that_ far."

"Well, you know?"

Jean nodded. "I'm Dr. Grey. You can call me Jean."

Oz shook her hand. He looked to Professor Xavier. "Not to be rude or anything, but how do you know who I am?"

The Professor just smiled. "We all have our secrets, don't we Oz?"

Oz looked severely uncomfortable for a moment. "I guess so."

"Jean will take you to a room where you can stay while you are with us." Xavier didn't say anything further, just smiled one last time and rolled away.

Oz watched him leave. "Is he always like that?" he asked Jean.

Jean laughed. "Yes. Follow me."

Oz picked up his bags and followed the red-haired woman. She reminded him painfully of an older Willow.

"_And you sat there and you told me everything was fine?"_

Just thinking about Willow made the memories return. Oz struggled to keep her out of his mind. He had just met these people. Crying in front of them might destroy his stoic image of manhood.

Jean hated using her powers to pry into other people's lives, but Oz's pain screamed out to her. She saw flashes of memories that included a girl with red hair and another girl with short blond hair, both underlined by that vicious feeling.

"Here is your room," Jean finally said when they reached a richly-paneled bedroom.

"Thanks," Oz replied. He put his bag on the bed, then turned awkwardly to his hostess. "Uh…I had a few questions I wanted to ask you. See, I kind of have this problem and I was hoping you could help me."

Jean looked intently at him. "I'll try my best. What's your problem?"

"Well see, it's sort of odd."

Jean laughed. He obviously did not know where he was. "Try me."

Shaking his head, Oz could not believe that he was saying this to a total stranger. But, then again, they could not help him unless he was completely honest with them. He took a deep breath. "I'm a werewolf."


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own them.

…

"A werewolf?"

"That's what he said, "Jean replied. Professor Xavier looked intrigued.

"I still have trouble believe werewolves are real," Scott Summers commented. His eyes were invisible behind his dark red sunglasses. Those glasses kept his destructive mutant power under control. "How do we know he's telling the truth and not just crazy?"

"We know." Jean's immediate response was so sure that it put any further argument over Oz's sincerity to rest.

"What do we do?" Ororo Munroe asked. Her ability to control the weather earned her the nickname "Storm." She was a soft-spoken African woman who provided the spirit of their team.

"Oz came here looking for me," Jean said. "Looking for someone who had researched mutation. I think something went wrong. The werewolf may be getting too strong for him."

"But how do we deal with him?" Scott asked. "Has anyone ever had experience with a werewolf? All that I've ever heard about them comes from fairy tales."

"We've helped kids with all forms of violent mutations," Storm pointed out. "A werewolf shouldn't be too much more than we can handle."

"We need to learn more about him," Professor Xavier said. "In order to help him, we must know as much about the werewolf as possible."

"Do you want me to go get him?" Scott asked, moving for the door.

"No." The Professor moved from his desk. "Let him rest for the evening. He has travelled a long way to get to us."

Scott nodded and left the office, sensing that the meeting was over. Storm and Jean quickly followed. Scott went to put his arm around Jen, but she shrugged it off. He gave her a puzzled look. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She didn't say another word, just retreated to her and Scott's bedroom. It was a lie. She hated lying to Scott, but she could not express how strongly she could still sense Oz's pain.

Since their recent battle at Liberty Island, Jean's powers seemed to have intensified. She knew a person's mood instantly upon knowing them. Oz's pain was strong enough to reverberate throughout the entire mansion. Every once and a while, Jean could hear a girl's voice: "_Oz…don't you love me?"_ She figured that it had to be a particularly strong memory.

It was early, but Jean was exhausted. She sank down onto the bed gratefully. By the time Scott walked in, she was asleep.

…

That night, Oz dreamt of that horrible day in the science lab. Everything in the dream was the same as it had happened. Veruca backhanded Willow and sent her sprawling on the floor. Oz burst in the door. "Don't touch her again," he growled.

"Come stop me. I like it rough, remember?"

Oz caught Willow's distraught look and winced. "You want to hurt me? Hurt me. You leave her out of this."

Veruca's eyes shone with lust. "How can I? She's the reason you're living in cages! She's blinding you! When she's gone, you'll be able to admit what you are."

Blood boiled in his veins as the sun sank past the horizon and the wolf began to surface. "You don't want to know what I am."

"You're an animal." Veruca's face contorted as she changed. "Animals kill."

"You're right." Oz's voice was barely human anymore. "We kill."

But instead of attacking Veruca as he had done in real life, the dream Oz and Veruca turned toward Willow. Together the two wolves advanced on the cowering witch. Oz could taste her blood as they ripped her throat out.

He awoke with a cry, terrified. It felt so real. He had tasted her blood. A sob escaped his throat.

"Calm down," came a soft voice. Oz turned sharply to see a dark-skinned woman sitting by his door. She smiled gently at him and Oz was increasingly glad that he had decided to wear an old Dingoes t-shirt to bed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, sounding harsher than he intended.

"You were crying out in your sleep," the woman replied. Indicating something over Oz's head, she added, "You are not the first. Logan slept in this room and he too had violent nightmares."

Oz turned around to see an air vent over his head. "Oh." He sat against the headboard with an embarrassed look on his face. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ororo." She smiled. "You can call me Storm if you like."

"Storm?" Oz was confused. "Okay, stop me if this sounds crazy, but people here aren't exactly normal, are they?"

Storm raised an eyebrow. "This coming from a werewolf?"

"Point taken."

She laughed. "You are correct, though. We are not 'normal.'" Pausing, she seemed to be deciding how best to continue. "You came here looking for Jean."

"Yeah." Oz nodded. "I read that she was an expert on mutation and I'm kind of on this quest to learn more about the wolf so I can tame it, I guess. I was hoping she could help."

Storm considered that. "You are right. Jean is an expert on mutation. Every one of us here is what normal people call a mutant."

"A mutant? What's that?"

She looked surprised. "Are you not aware of the 'mutant problem'?" She sounded biter. "It's been going on for the past few years."

Oz shook his head. "Sunnydale's kind of self-involved. We had enough of our own problems. Didn't really need to pay attention to everyone else's."

"Well, mutants are humans with a slightly different genetic code. This genetic change manifests itself through what appear to be special powers. I am called Storm because I can control the weather."

"Huh." Oz took a moment to process this. "And everyone here is a mutant? Even the students?"

She laughed softly. "That is the point of the school. We provide a safe environment for child and teenage mutants to get an education and learn to control their powers."

"Oh."

"Your situation is different than those we've dealt with in the past, but the Professor will know what to do." Storm stood up and smiled. "Try to sleep now. Your dreams will not plague you anymore tonight."

Oz nodded gratefully. "Good night," he said as she was leaving. He buried himself under the blanket again and was asleep within minutes.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER** I don't own the X-Men or any _Buffy_ characters. Also, any lines in italics were written by the staff writers of BTVS.

...

The next day dawned clear and bright. Oz awoke feeling safe at Xavier's school. He already believed that they could help him. He dressed quickly and wandered downstairs, looking for a kitchen of some kind.

"Can I help you?"

He turned to see a teenage girl with a white streak in her hair. "Uh, yeah. I'm looking for breakfast."

She smiled. "Follow me."

Oz fell into step beside her. They walked in silence for a minute. "You're the werewolf, aren't you?" the girl suddenly asked.

"Yeah," he replied, slightly taken aback. He had been at the school for less than a day and already the students knew who he was. Plus, it was getting remarkably easier to admit his condition to total strangers.

"Word travels fast here," she explained with a grin. She held out a gloved hand. "I'm Rogue."

"Oz." He shook her hand. "If you don't mind me asking, what's with the gloves? It's not all that cold in here."

Rogue made a strange face. "It's my power. When I touch other people, I do something to them. The Professor tried to explain it to me – something about taking their life force." She shrugged sadly. "All I know is that they get hurt."

With a sympathetic nod, Oz just said, "I know the feeling."

Rogue looked at him curiously but did not ask anymore. "The kitchen is that first door," she said as they turned a corner.

"Thanks. Hey, nice to meet you."

"Yeah." Rogue smiled. "Maybe I'll see you later."

Oz waved and turned his attention to the task of finding breakfast. It had been a few days since he'd had a full meal and werewolves were notoriously hearty eaters.

…

"_Oz…don't you love me?"_

Jean heard the girl's voice everywhere. She could not make it stop. It rang through the mansion and was carried by the wind through the grounds. It was driving her crazy.

Scott knew something was wrong but the more he pressed her, the more she shut off. He had seen her do this when Logan first arrived, but it had been nowhere this severe. And while Oz had no apparent attraction to Jean as Logan had, Scott knew that Oz posed much more of a danger. He could destroy Jean if she was not careful.

As the day wore on, Jean began to understand that Oz's tormented memories would damage her mind if nothing was done. But just as the sun was setting and she felt as though she had reached her breaking point, she heard a voice in her head.

"Jean, please meet me in my office."

He was waiting when she arrived. "Yes, Professor?"

"Please sit down, Jean." She sat. "You are hurting."

It was not a question. Professor Xavier knew that she was going through something and she could never lie to him anyway. "It's Oz, Professor. Everywhere I go, I can't escape him. I keep hearing this one painful memory. I see a girl's face. I don't know – maybe his werewolf self opens his mind to my powers." She stopped. "I can't shut him out."

Professor Xavier was quiet for a moment. "He needs our help desperately, but I do not wish to keep him here at risk to you. I feel that the supernatural part of him is beyond our knowledge."

Confused, Jean just nodded. Someone knocked on the door. "Come in, Oz," Xavier said.

Oz, looking extremely uncomfortable as he always did around the older mutant, said, "Hey."

"Please sit down. There is much we must discuss."

Jean felt bad for the young werewolf. She could tell that he wanted their help, but the intense scrutiny unnerved him.

"What's up?" Oz asked, his voice devoid of real expression.

"Your werewolf self is very powerful," Xavier began, "as I'm sure you already know. But for some reason, your supernatural power makes your mind more susceptible to psychic power."

Oz looked confused. "Okay?"

"In short, what I'm saying Oz, is that before we can adequately help you, we need to know more about the werewolf." The Professor smiled. "We have two ways of doing this, seeing as how you don't remember your transformation. If you feel comfortable, I can go inside your mind and examine your memories. However, if that idea makes your uneasy, we can wait until the next full moon and observe you when you transform again."

Oz was quiet. "Well, the next full moon isn't for another two and half weeks. Right after Thanksgiving."

Xavier looked at Oz intently. He knew that was Oz's way of consenting to him going into his mind. Smiling, he said, "Please come by my office tomorrow at noon."

Oz nodded. "Am I done?"

Professor Xavier nodded. "I will see you tomorrow." Oz left the office and quietly shut the door. The professor turned to Jean. "Hopefully I will be able to quiet his memories as well as examine them. You should be able to find peace after tomorrow."

Jean breathed a heavy sigh of relief. If the Professor said it was true, then it had to be so. She trusted him completely. She nodded and said, "Okay."

He smiled warmly. "Get some sleep tonight, Jean. I assure you that we can resolve this."


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** As I'm posting these chapters that I wrote so long ago, I'm seeing that they're a little short and light on the action. That changes very soon, as we're nearing the point where I put this story down for a year or so and came back to it a more seasoned writer. Just bear with me! =-)

**DISCLAIMER** The scene in italics is straight from the BtVS episode "Wild at Heart." Actions and dialogue were written by Joss Whedon and co. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Marvel.

…

Sleep did not come easily to the mutant or the werewolf that night. Jean tossed and turned, tormented by Oz's memories as he brooded over them through the night.

Oz was nervous about letting anyone into his mind. He'd only been at Xavier's school for a day and a half and already he had told them his darkest secret. Now he was agreeing to let one of them read his mind.

He had hundreds of reasons to be nervous. In the grand scheme of things, the most important was Buffy's identity as the Slayer. He had kind of been thrust into her life through Willow, but Buffy trusted him. And who knows what would happen if these mutants decided to make trouble for her? It would be all his fault.

More selfishly, Oz didn't want Xavier to pry into his most precious memories of being with Willow. Of course, those memories permeated everything else, so there was really no way of getting around them.

But Oz knew that the Professor would be looking for the memories that Oz was not, for the most part, aware of. Everything he had done while as the wolf would come up.

Something Veruca had said had been bothering him, playing on his mind. He closed his eyes, heard her voice. "_Or you're the wolf all the time and this human face is just your disguise. You ever think about that?"_

He was so afraid that it was true. He was afraid that Xavier would discover that and tell him the thing he dreaded the most. That there was no cure. Nothing could be done.

Sighing, Oz rolled onto his side. A million thoughts tumbled through his head. It would be a long night.

…

Students at Xavier's school were ecstatic. Whoever this werewolf was, wherever he'd come from, he was cancelling classes. Professors Xavier, Summers, Grey, and Munroe were all busy dealing with Oz and didn't have time to teach.

Right on schedule, Oz knocked on Professor Xavier's door at noon. "Come in, Oz."

He walked in to see all four of the adult mutants waiting for him. "Hey."

"Oz, I believe you've already met Ororo," Xavier began.

Storm smiled. "Hello."

Xavier continued, "I would like you to also meet Scott Summers, called Cyclops."

The man in red sunglasses held out his hand and Oz shook it. "Summers," he said thoughtfully. "Do you have any relatives in California?"

The Professor chuckled. "He is not related to your friend Buffy, if that is what you're asking." Seeing Oz's rare started expression, he added, "Oh yes, we are well aware of the Slayer."

Well, so much for that worry. "But how…I mean, is Buffy a…?"

"A mutant?" Xavier shook his head. "Mutants are children of genetic change. The Slayer's power is entirely supernatural."

"I thought so." It lifted a huge weight from Oz's chest to know that he would not betray Buffy's secret.

Xavier motioned to a chair by his desk. "Please sit down." Oz sat, looking apprehensive. "This will not hurt," the Professor assured him. "I need you to relax your mind."

Oz closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. Professor Xavier placed his hands on Oz's temples, concentrating. His powers transported him into Oz's memories.

_Oz moved around a room, packing a suitcase. The door opened. A red-headed girl walked in. "Hello," she said._

"_Hi," Oz replied._

'Oz, who is she?' Xavier asked.

'Willow.'

_Willow noticed the suitcase. "What are you doing?"_

"_I'm going."_

"_Now?"_ _Oz nodded and didn't look at her. He zipped the suitcase. "That's your solution?" she asked._

"_That's my decision."_

"_Don't I get a say in this?"_

"_No." Finally, he turned to face her. "Veruca was right about something. The wolf is inside me all the time and I don't know where that line is anymore between me and it. And until I figure out what that means, I shouldn't be around you. Or anybody."_

_Willow started to cry. "Well, that could be a problem, 'cause people – kind of a planetary epidemic."_

"_I'll find someplace."_

_Her lip trembled. "Well, how long?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Oz," she whispered, "don't you love me?"_

_Tears welled up in his eyes. He held her. "My whole life, I've never loved anything else."_

Xavier left this memory, prodding deeper into Oz's subconscious. He found the wolf's memories, but could find nothing useful in them. The wolf was far less sentient than a human.

Reluctantly, he brought himself out of Oz's mind. Oz opened his eyes, visibly shaken by the encounter. He shook his head to clear it, then looked at the Professor. "Anything?"

Xavier sighed. "I'm not sure. I need to think on…everything." He smiled half-heartedly. "We will discuss this later."

Oz nodded and quickly left the office. Scott, Jean, and Storm remained, watching their mentor worriedly. "Professor?" Scott asked after a moment. "What's wrong?"

"What did you see?" Storm asked.

Xavier shook his head. "Nothing that can be of any use. The wolf's mind does not have the level of thought that a human's does. I could feel nothing but rage and ferocity." He sighed. "I am afraid that we may be ill equipped to deal with this. We know nothing of the supernatural." He looked at his students in turn. "We need help."


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Sorry for the delay!

**DISCLAIMER** I own no characters from either the _Buffy_ or _X-Men_ universe.

…

Oz stayed quietly at the mansion for the next week, trying not to get in anyone's way. But as the next full moon approached, he knew that he had to make a decision. Did he leave and try something else or should he stay and risk putting the whole school in danger?

He approached the Professor just as he was overseeing the decoration of the dining room for Thanksgiving. They hadn't spoken in depth since the older mutant had gone into his mind. "Hey, uh, Professor?"

"Hello Oz." He led Oz into the kitchen where they could speak privately. "I've been wanting to speak with you."

"Yeah, uh, I – "

Xavier stared at him intently. "You want to leave."

"It'll be the full moon soon. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

Xavier smiled. "I appreciate your concern, but I assure you that you will pose no threat to anyone."

"Are you sure? Because the wolf is vicious. It's a killer."

"Please, do not doubt that we will all be perfectly safe during this full moon."

Oz sighed. "If you say so. Is that what you wanted to talk about too?"

"Actually, no." The Professor rolled toward his office, beckoning Oz to follow. He continued, "Since going into your mind, I have realized that I know or understand little about supernatural creatures. I believe if I were able to observe you in your werewolf state, it would offer far more insight."

"Well, right after Thanksgiving, you'll get your chance," Oz replied. "Do you kave a cage or chains or something? You're going to need them."

The Professor smiled. "I'm sure we can work something out."

…

So it came to be that Oz spent Thanksgiving at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Jean and Storm shooed him out of the kitchen with the other men, so he spent the afternoon getting to know the students.

The three older girls – Rogue, Jubilee, and Kitty – disappeared into the kitchen to help with dinner. Left were Bobby Drake, John Allerdyce, Piotr Rasputin, Theresa Cassidy, and other younger children.

He was amazed by their wide range of powers. Piotr could transform his skin into metal at will. Theresa's banshee-like cry could shatter glass and serious hurt Oz's sensitive animal eardrums. He watched the girl Kitty move between the kitchen and dining room by walking through the wall.

Bobby and John had powers of diametric opposites, but were still best friends. John was cynical and bitter at normal people. His ability to manipulate fire seemed to match his restlessness. Bobby, on the other hand, was quiet and kind. He seemed to harbor little resentment toward regular humans. He could control and create coldness and ice. In many ways, the two boys reminded him of Willow and Buffy – one quiet and sensitive to the world and the other not quite okay with the twists that life had handed her.

In the kitchen, Jean put a flour-covered hand to her forehead as another image of Willow, Oz's red-headed lover, flashed through her mind. "Are you okay?" Storm asked.

Jean nodded wearily. "I just wish he'd stop thinking about her," she said. Storm looked at her sympathetically before returning to making mashed potatoes. Jean tried to focus all of her attention on the strawberry-rhubarb pie she had been making.

"Hey Oz," John said suddenly. "What's a werewolf look like?"

Oz shrugged uncomfortably as all of the students turned to him. "I've never seen one."

"But you are one," Theresa said.

"Yeah."

"What's it like?" she pressed.

"What is this so interesting?" Oz asked shortly. He didn't mean to come off harsh, but talking about his condition was never comfortable.

The students sat in contrite silence for a moment. Finally, Bobby spoke up. "Because you're a normal human for so much of the time. And then, for just a little while, you're like us."

"I'm not like you," Oz said quietly.

"Yes, you are," Bobby insisted. "You're a mutant like us, but you get to live like a normal guy most of the time. No one criticizes you for what you are."

Oz sighed and looked at the solemn faces before him. "I don't usually remember it," he finally said. The students moved closer to listen. "From sunset to sunrise three nights a month, it was like a total blackout."

"How did it happen?" Piotr asked.

"My cousin bit me."

"What did he look like?" Theresa asked excitedly.

Oz chuckled. "Like a normal boy." Theresa's face fell. "Sorry," Oz said. "You see, lycanthropy – "

"Lycanthro-what?" John interrupted.

"Lycanthropy. That's the name of the disease that causes people to become werewolves. It can be transmitted by a bite even when the wolf is in human form."

"So if you bit me right now, I'd become a werewolf?" John asked.

Oz nodded. "If I drew blood."

John grinned. "Cool."

"On the nights before, during, and after the full moon, my friends would lock me in a cage so that I wouldn't hurt anyone."

"You let them lock you up?" John asked incredulously. "Why would you do that?"

Oz glared at him. "When I'm a wolf, I'm dangerous. I chose to be locked up."

John crossed his arms defiantly. "I wouldn't let them do it to me no matter how dangerous I was."

Oz kept his unreadable gaze on the young mutant. "Then I'm glad for everyone's sake that you aren't a wolf. Look all of you, I battle with the monster inside me every day. I'm here so that I can tame it and make it manageable. Us supernatural mutants feel the same things as you do."

"Yeah?" John raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I don't see angry mobs on TV with 'Death to Werewolves' signs."

Piotr laughed ruefully. "No one knows werewolves exist."

Oz nodded. "Although my – " He paused. "Some friends of mine were nearly burned alive for being witches."

"So I guess being a werewolf isn't much better than being a mutant, huh?" Bobby asked.

Oz shook his head. "You have no idea what it's like to know that when you wake up in the morning, your friends could be dead because you killed them during the night."

When Storm walked in to announce dinner, she was greeted by quite a somber room. She raised an eyebrow, but said cheerily, "Dinner's ready!"

The ensuing excited scramble for the kitchen reassured her that it was an ill easily cured by food. Only young Theresa Cassidy remained behind. Storm walked over to her. "You coming?"

The girl nodded. "Are you going to help Oz?" she asked.

Her question caught Storm off-guard. But she just put her arm around the young girl's shoulders. "We're gonna try," she promised. "Come on, they're waiting for us."

…

Professor Xavier sat at the head of the table. Storm, Scott, Jean, and Oz sat on his left and right and long lines of students stretched down past them. The Professor raised his glass and all others followed suit. "Well, here we are after another year. We're thankful to see our old students and equally thankful to welcome the new." He smiled. "And I would like to take a moment to welcome Oz fully into our home."

Oz nodded awkwardly. "Thanks everyone."

"We're all thankful for each other," the Professor went on. "And thankful that we're all safe here." Taking a sip from his glass, he set it down and proclaimed, "I believe it's time to eat."

The students happily began filling their plates with food. For the first time since he'd left Sunnydale, Oz was relaxed. Dinner with the mutants was fun and he found that Jean, Storm, Scott and the others were excellent cooks.

No one, not even Professor Xavier, knew what went on in Sunnydale that very day. Oz would never know of the battle his old friends faced without him just to have a Thanksgiving dinner of their own.


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Sorry for the delay! I write all of these stories longhand in spiral-bound notebooks and sometimes there's a delay in the typing process.

**DISCLAIMER** I own no one and nothing.

Christmas season descended upon the mansion the day after Thanksgiving. Oz tried to find his festive spirit, but the full moon drew ever nearer and the Professor still hadn't come up with a plan to restrain him. Oz watched the inhabitants of the mansion in wonder as they bustled around with unlimited energy. By the Monday after Thanksgiving, every banister was wrapped in evergreen boughs and a large tree stood magnificently in the living room.

It was also on Monday that Xavier finally approached Oz. "Hello, Oz," he said.

"Hey."

"Would you follow me, please?"

"Sure." Oz followed him to an elevator that took them down into the depths of the mansion. When the doors opened, Oz was met with a stark white corridor that looked nothing like the cozy building above. "Where are we?"

"We are in the mansion's lower levels," Xavier replied as he wheeled down the hall. "This is where the more…serious activities take place. What you may not know, Oz, is that Scott, Storm, and Jean are a sort of police force among our kind. They strive to protect humanity from other mutants. Not all of them share our vision of peace among all."

"I see."

The Professor stopped before a very solid-looking door and placed his palm on a pad in the wall. It glowed blue for a moment and a tinny mechanical voice said, "Welcome, Professor," as the door slid open. "Step inside, please," he said. Oz complied and his eyes widened when he saw the room before him.

The ceiling stretched higher than Oz thought it should. Various equipment and training machines stood against the walls and one end was lined with thick tinted windows. "What is it?" Oz asked quietly.

"This is the Danger Room. You will not be able to get out when I secure these doors. Not even Scott's optic blasts can break through them. And I assure you that you cannot break anything." Xavier pointed to a corner. "We have set up screens for you as a dressing room before and after your transformation."

"Wow," Oz said, a little embarrassed. "Thanks."

"Do you mind if we videotape you once you have changed?" the Professor asked. "You may then view the tapes if you wish. It may help you learn more about it."

Oz shrugged. "Why not?"

Xavier smiled. "Excellent. If my calculations are correct, the full moon is on this coming Thursday."

Oz nodded. "Except werewolves change three nights a month. I'll need to be locked up Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights."

"Very well." The Professor smiled. "We didn't waste any time, did we?"

Oz said, "I guess not."

Xavier turned around and Oz followed. The door to the Danger Room slid shut behind them. They reboarded the elevator and returned to the mansion's main levels. "I shall meet you here at the elevator Wednesday evening," Xavier said as Oz turned to leave.

"Yeah." Oz quickly turned and ran up the stairs.

…

Scott was waiting in Professor Xavier's office when he returned. "What did he say?" he demanded.

"He believes that the Danger Room can contain him. He has also agreed to be recorded." The Professor opened a desk drawer and removed a videotape. "I believe that he needs to see what he becomes in order to control it."

Scott silently watched his mentor through rose-tinted glasses. "Keeping him here over the full moon is dangerous," he finally said coldly.

Professor Xavier looked intently at his old student. He had the eerie ability to always look Scott in the eye, regardless of his protective lenses. "Scott, Oz will not be able to harm anyone in the Danger Room."

Scott blinked, surprised, though he knew the Professor couldn't see that. "Professor, I didn't mean – "

But the old mutant held up a hand. "I know what you meant, Scott. Oz needs to know what is inside him. Once we show him that the thing inside him is not impossible to control. It is not our job to cure him and Oz knows that." He smiled sadly. "Oz will soon be leaving us. I just hope we can help him before he does."

…

Oz paced back and forth across his small bedroom. He kept glaring at the keys to his van on the nightstand. He could drive upstate – find a deserted part of the woods by Wednesday night and hopefully not hurt anyone when he changed. Sighing in frustration, he tossed that idea. He knew that he couldn't take that risk.

Again, Willow's voice rang in his memory. _"But before this, when you were regular, Oz, you had feelings for her, didn't you?"_

"_Before this, when you were regular, Oz?"_

"_When you were regular, Oz?"_

"_When you were regular?"_

Oz picked up his pillow and threw it across the room in a very rare burst of emotion. He wasn't regular. He wasn't _ever_ regular! The wolf was always a part of him and he would never be anything but a werewolf.

Sighing, he sank down onto the bed. He could never go back to Sunnydale. Not until he knew just what he was dealing with. That only left one option and that was trusting in the mutants to contain him.

Oz left his room and wandered through the mansion. Piotr was able to direct him to a phone and tears gathered in Oz's eyes as he dialed. It was the hardest call he'd had to make.

A familiar voice picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey Devin."

"Oz! Man! What's going on, dude? Where'd you go? You just disappeared on us. Dingoes is really hurting without you, man."

Oz took a deep breath to keep his voice steady. "Yeah, sorry about that. I've got a lot of issues I need to work out."

There was silence of the other end of the line. "Whatever you need to do, man."

"Look, Devin, I really need you to do something for me."

"Shoot."

This was going to hurt Willow more than anything. "I need you to go box up all my stuff and send it to me."

Devin's voice suddenly got soft. "You really aren't coming back."

It was all Oz could do to keep talking. He managed to give Devin the address and say goodbye. And then it was done. He'd left Sunnydale for good.


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Again, sorry for the delay! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

**DISCLAIMER** I own nothing from either _X-Men_ or _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

Oz met Professor Xavier right on schedule Wednesday evening. He watched the sun all afternoon and left for the lower levels as it began its descent behind the trees.

A deep reassurance washed over Oz when he heard the soft whoosh and hard click of the Danger Room's door locking him inside. He quickly hid himself behind the screen, stripped, and waited. The Danger Room had no windows; he had no idea how long it would be.

Finally, that familiar boiling sensation began in his blood. His hands grew into claws, his teeth to fangs, and his sand-colored hair to black fur. A low moan changed to a feral growl as the transformation completed and a werewolf leapt from behind the screen.

In the mansion above, the students listened in silence. Howls, snarls, and crashes echoed through the mansion throughout the night.

Back down in the Danger Room's observation deck, Professor Xavier calmly pressed record on a machine set in a bank of video monitors. He watched intently as the werewolf struggled to break anything in its path. Behind him, Scott, Jean, and Storm shared a nervous glance and wondered what exactly they had gotten themselves into.

Storm was the first to turn away. It was impossible to imagine that the quiet kind man who had been living with them could turn into such a monster. It had a fury unlike anything she had ever seen in humans, mutants, or even animals.

Xavier felt her discomfort. He turned and put a hand on her arm, giving his silent permission to return to the school's upper level. She smiled gratefully at him and fled the observation deck.

Meanwhile, Jean stood transfixed by the savage creature below them. For the first time since Oz arrived, she had total peace. His tormented mind was quiet. It was a silence deeper than sleep and she relished every second.

Scott watched the werewolf stoically, separating the monster from the man they had come to know. He noticed how relaxed Jean seemed and was grateful for it.

"You do not need to stay." Professor Xavier's words startled both Scott and Jean. They turned to look at him. He smiled. "I assure you that I will be fine on my own."

Scott looked at Jean, who looked so tired. He put an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, Jean. Let's go to bed."

Jean cast one last look at the werewolf tearing apart the Danger Room before nodding. She let Scott lead her to the door. "Goodnight, Professor," she said.

"Goodnight," he said warmly. "Sleep well."

She nodded. They left and Professor Xavier was left alone to watch over the wolf.

…

The next morning, Oz awoke surrounded by twisted and clawed shards of metal equipment, relieved to find himself still in the Danger Room. He quickly dressed and went to stand in front of the doorway. "Hmm," he said. There was no visible way to open the door.

Suddenly it slid open to reveal Professor Xavier in the hallway. He smiled. "Good morning, Oz."

"Morning."

Oz followed the Professor as they headed toward the elevator. "I, uh, hope I didn't break anything important last night."

"Don't worry about that. We have had far more destructive mutants in that room."

"Okay." Oz stood in the elevator, thoroughly uncomfortable being alone with such a powerful psychic. The elevator doors opened at the main level of the mansion and they turned down the left hallway.

"I thought you might like to see the tape as soon as possible," Xavier said.

"Yeah, sure," Oz replied. He looked into the deserted rooms and frowned. "Where is everybody?" he asked.

Xavier hid a smile. "Outside."

Oz glanced at him, then headed for one of the large windows in the nearest classroom. "Snow!"

"The students are currently engaged in what I believe is referred to as an epic snowball fight." The professor had to refrain from chuckling at the awed look on Oz's face. "Have you ever seen snow before, Oz?"

"Once," Oz said. "Last year on Christmas. But it was nothing like this."

Xavier closed his eyes. "It seems that Bobby Drake and Piotr Rasputin have ended up on the same team and are soundly trouncing the opposition. I'm sure the other team would not mind extra help."

"But what about the tapes?"

"There will be time later, I assure you. Go."

Oz waited a minute longer, then left to find his coat, a hat, and gloves. Professor Xavier smiled and left to find a window suitable for watching the battle.

…

Piotr laughed as a snowball flattened against his silver metal skin. Reaching out, he grabbed another handful of ammunition from Bobby. The other mutant was growing snowballs from thin air far faster than the other team could make them.

On the other side of the field, John was sending blasts of flame at whatever snowballs flew in his direction, while Kitty just let them sail through her. Theresa and Jubilee were also holding their own, but the four of them were no match for the two who had earned the nicknames "Iceman" and "Colossus."

"This isn't fair!" Theresa cried as she took a direct hit to the shoulder. "Bobby, no powers!"

Bobby grinned as several more snowballs appeared in his hands. "Tell that to your own team!"

"We even gave you an extra member!" Rogue pointed out as Bobby handed her snowballs.

Theresa saw Oz standing just outside the mansion door and her eyes lit up. "Oz! Come join us!"

Kitty and Jubilee eyes the werewolf nervously, remembering the savage sounds during the night. "I'll join the other team," Jubilee said. "Then we'll be even."

"Sounds good!" Rogue said, welcoming her friend over. She was not afraid of Oz; rather, she pitied him, but she could understand how the other girls could fear him. They did not have dangerous or destructive powers like her and Oz. They did not have the understanding that came with them.

Bobby and Piotr shared a look as Oz joined the line of the other team. "Ever seen snow before?" Piotr asked.

Oz smirked. "I pick things up quick."

"Well, California boy," Bobby said, "let's see what you got!"


	8. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** As of last night, this story is completely typed up, so there shouldn't be any more delays with posting. Thanks for your patience!

**DISCLAIMER** I own nothing from either _X-Men_ or _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

They came back inside three hours later, dripping wet, freezing, and exhausted. Even with Oz's help, Pyro, Kitty, and Theresa were no match for the Iceman and Colossus. Nevertheless, everyone was smiling when they came inside.

Jean met them with a raised eyebrow. "Somehow I don't think those puddles are going to clean up themselves," she said.

Oz stepped forward. "Don't worry about it. I'll clean it."

Flashes of Willow assaulted her mind every time Oz looked at her. She smiled wanly. "No, I'll take care of it. The professor would like to speak with you."

A weight settled across Oz's shoulders as the fun of the afternoon evaporated in the face of the memory of why he was there. He nodded. "Is he in his office?"

"Yes," Jean said.

Oz trudged through the mansion, his good mood gone. Professor Xavier would show him the tape. He would see the monster that he feared so thoroughly. And then he would not be able to deny the horrible things that he knew he was capable of.

He paused outside the door and took a deep breath before going inside. Professor Xavier was waiting for him. "How was the snowball fight?"

"We lost," Oz said with a small smile and a shrug.

Xavier chuckled. "I suppose that is to be expected. Are you ready to watch the recording?"

Oz sat heavily in one of the armchairs. "So much for beating around the bush."

"You would rather not see it?"

"It's not that," Oz said. "It's that…" He trailed off, unsure of how to explain it. Xavier waited patiently. "I've never seen the wolf," Oz said. "I've never been conscious of being the wolf. But if I watch that tape, it won't just be like a bad dream anymore." He could feel his face burn. "It will be real."

The older man nodded thoughtfully. After a moment, he repeated, "So shall we watch it?"

Oz nodded. Xavier took a remote control out of his desk drawer and at his press of a button, the screen on the far wall snapped on. A moment later, the image appeared.

He was speechless as he watched himself in wolf form violently attacking anything in his path. It was such unrestrained viciousness. It made him feel sick. "That's me," he finally choked.

"Unfortunately, that's true," Xavier said.

They lapsed back into silence, the only sound being the crashes and growls on the tape. Oz clenched his fist tighter and tighter until his fingernails dug painfully into his palm. Finally he said, "I want it gone." He looked at the Professor. "I want it out of me or I want it buried so deep that it will never be able to get out."

Xavier nodded and stopped the tape. "I understand. But I must confess, Oz, I don't know exactly how to help you do that. I have some ideas, but I would like to speak with someone who has far more supernatural knowledge than I do first. I don't know of anyone."

The desire to quell the wolf won out over his hesitance to mention anything about anyone in his old life. "I know a guy. You got a phone?"

…

The ringing of the phone interrupted lunch in the small and cluttered apartment. Among the clattering of silverware, the man ran into the living room to pick up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this a Rupert Giles?"

Giles frowned and took off his glasses. "Yes. Who is this?"

"My name is Professor Charles Xavier. I'm calling from Westchester, New York. You see, I run a school here for gifted youngsters."

"Yes?" Giles asked as he sat down.

"It's a school for young mutants," Xavier said. "We offer them a safe haven in which to learn and refine their powers."

Confused, Giles wondered if this man had the right Rupert Giles. "I see."

Xavier chuckled. "I'm sorry. All of this must seem quite out of left field to you."

"A little," Giles admitted.

"Well, a young man came to see me recently for help with an unusual mutation. He has been staying with us here but I'm afraid it is not the sort of mutation I am familiar with."

"And you think I can help you?" Giles asked.

Xavier said, "Actually, he referred me to you. A friend of yours, I believe. Oz?"

Giles sat up, suddenly alert. "Oz is there with you?"

"Yes."

He jumped up from the couch and ran for his calendar. "Professor Xavier, Oz is very dangerous right now. Have you somewhere to lock him up?"

Xavier sounded amused. "Yes, yes, Mr. Giles, don't worry. His condition of being a werewolf is the reason he came to us to begin with."

Giles breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

"But I have never come across a werewolf before," Xavier admitted. "My knowledge concerning mutation is extensive, if I do say so myself, but the supernatural is something that I know nothing about. I thought perhaps you might shed some light on the subject?"

"Of course," Giles said. "What has Oz told you?"

There was a pause and Giles heard muffled voices. "Is – is Oz there with you?" he asked.

"Yes," Xavier answered. "Would you like to speak with him?"

"Please."

He heard the noise of the telephone being transferred before a familiar voice said, "Hey."

"Oz!" Giles said. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The mutants here are cool." Oz paused. "How's Willow?"

Protective indignation rose in Giles and he replied coolly, "Not too good. When she found that your bandmate had packed your belongings for you, she took it very hard."

Oz's voice sounded pained. "Well do me a favor and don't tell her where I am."

"Not a problem." But the anger was draining away. Giles sighed. "Oz, if you want them to help you cure the lycanthropy, then they have to understand that it is something curable."

"What do you mean?"

"The mutations that Professor Xavier and the others have are written into their genetic codes," he explained. "They aren't curable because they're a part of the mutants themselves. But lycanthropy is a supernatural disease. And just like any other disease, it has the potential to be cured. They are probably looking at it all wrong."

Oz responded with his characteristic, "Hmm."

Giles heard the tell-tale echoing of voices coming toward his front door. "Oz, the others are on their way here. I think it best if I hang up with you before they come banging in my front door."

Oz chuckled sadly. "Fair enough. Thanks for the help."

"Of course. Good luck."

The line went dead. Giles hung up the phone mere seconds before his front door was thrown open.


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Scott and Jean's conversation sort of mirrors the one that they have in the beginning of _X2_ – this story takes place before _X2_, so it makes the canon conversation a little repetitive, but oh well.

**DISCLAIMER** I own nothing from _X-Men_ or _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

Oz hung up the phone and sighed. He missed Sunnydale so much. Hearing that Willow was hurting because of him only made it worse. He looked up and saw Professor Xavier watching him. "Uh, could you call the others in? I need to talk to all of you."

"Of course," Xavier said. "Did Mr. Giles give you an idea?"

"He pointed me in the right direction," Oz replied. "As always."

Professor Xavier closed his eyes and waited. Moments later, the door opened and Scott, Storm, and Jean entered the office. Jean, as usual lately, looked haggard. "What is it, Professor?" Scott asked.

Uncomfortably, Oz said, "Hey. It was actually me who wanted to talk to you."

They looked at him differently now that they had seen what he turned into. Oz was used to others not really understanding him, but since he kept the fact that he was a werewolf a secret from most people, he had never experienced this sudden wariness before. Not that he blamed them. Even he was afraid of his wolf form.

When Oz did not immediately continue, Professor Xavier said, "I believe that Oz has some new information to share with us."

Jean especially looked interested. "What news?" she asked.

"We've been look at this all wrong," Oz said.

Scott frowned. "What does that mean?"

"How does someone become a mutant?" Oz asked him.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with this," Scott said.

Storm held up a hand to quiet him. To Oz, she said, "You do not become a mutant. You are born one."

Oz nodded. "Exactly. It's a part of you."

Warily, Scott nodded. "You either are a mutant or you're not."

"Well someone isn't born a werewolf." Suddenly Oz found himself slightly choked up. "It's not a part of you. It's a disease."

"Mutation is not a disease!" Scott shot back angrily.

"That's my point," Oz said. "Your mutations are not a disease, but mine is. It's called lycanthropy and there's no cure."

Jean studied him intently. "You think there is, though, don't you?"

He nodded. "There has to be. Why do you think I came looking for you? You're a doctor and you understand mutation. If you can't help me, who can?"

Storm and, for the first time, Jean looked at him with true pity. Scott still looked hesitant to trust him. Xavier merely looked pointedly out the window to where the sun was sinking slowly toward the tree line.

Oz sighed. "I'm going downstairs." But he paused with his hand on the door. "Tonight's the real full moon," he said. "No one should observe tonight."

Professor Xavier nodded. "Very well."

Oz did not say another word. Weakly, he smiled his thanks and left the office.

…

Later that night, after the sun had set and the full silver moon had risen over the forest, Jean stood staring out her bedroom window. She wrapped her arms around herself against the tiny draft that came in through the glass and enjoyed the early winter peace.

Behind her, the door opened and she heard Scott enter. She did not turn around, even when he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Jean?"

She smiled out the window. "Hi."

"Don't you want to get some sleep?" he asked.

Shaking her head, she said, "No. It's so peaceful out."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "It's easier for you when he's a wolf, isn't it?" he asked.

She twisted her neck to look at him. "Yes," she admitted. "But something else happened today."

"What's that?"

She smiled again. "He looked at me and didn't think of that girl. He wants so badly to bury the wolf that he's forgetting everything else."

Scott raised an eyebrow above his ruby glasses. "And that's a good thing?"

She shrugged, a little guilty. "Maybe not for him or for her, but it is for me."

He tightened his embrace and kissed her neck. "You're allowed to be selfish every once and a while, you know."

With a small laugh, she turned in his arms so that she was facing him. "I'm sorry that I've been so difficult since Oz got here."

Scott kissed her forehead. "There's nothing to be sorry for. After all, it's not every day a werewolf shows up at our door who thinks of his ex-girlfriend every time he looks at you." His expression sobered and he dropped his arms. "But still."

"Still what?"

"Still, you've never been bothered by anyone's thoughts like this before." He frowned. "Are you okay? For the past few months, you've seemed a little off."

Jean thought back to how stranger her powers had been acting since the battle they had fought on Liberty Island against Magneto. It had only become apparent to her since Oz showed up, but the more she thought about it, the more she was sure that it had nothing to do with him.

She told Scott none of that. Instead, she just nodded and said, "I'm fine."

It was clear that he did not believe her, but he said nothing. He gave her a kiss goodnight, then left her alone. She turned back to the window to watch the winter peace again.

…

Oz awoke on the floor of the Danger Room the next morning, feeling groggy and nauseous as he always did on the morning after the true full moon. He groaned and rubbed his temples. It was worse than a hangover.

He crawled to the screened corner and pulled on his clothes. Just as he came to the closed door, it slid open as it had the day before to reveal Professor Xavier waiting in the hallway. "Good timing," he said. "Again."

The Professor merely smiled. "You would prefer to spend the day in the Danger Room?"

"No."

That was as far as the conversation went. As they rode silently in the elevator toward the mansion's upper levels, Oz tried to block his thoughts so that the Professor would not see that he vaguely remembered his wolf self tearing apart a robot in the Danger Room.


	10. Chapter 10

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Only one more chapter after this! I hope you've all enjoyed the story!

**DISCLAIMER** I own nothing canon from either _X-Men_ or _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

Oz said very little that day, although he usually was so quiet that the mutants hardly noticed. Dr. Grey tired to avoid him as often as possible anyway and her husband Scott obviously did not like him. Storm had been less eager to talk to him since she saw him as the wolf and even Professor Xavier left him alone.

After lunch, he found himself sitting in the front room with the young mutant with a witch streak in her hair. Rogue, she had called herself. He glanced at the elbow-length gloves she wore and remembered what she had told him about her powers. People got hurt.

Neither one of them said anything for awhile. Finally, Rogue said quietly, "We heard you last night."

Shame made his face burn. "Sorry."

She shrugged slightly. "It's okay." She was quiet for another moment before asking hesitantly, "What's it like?"

His first reaction was to glare at her for making him think about that which he was trying to forget. But then he looked at her face and saw that she felt alone like he did when he first woke up that morning in the Sunnydale woods. As much as he wanted to tell her to leave him alone, he was not in the mood to be that mean.

"It's like…" He trailed off, unable to describe it.

Rogue glanced out the window. "You don't remember it. I forgot."

He sighed and stared at the floor. "If only," he muttered.

She looked sharply at him. "But I thought you said – "

"I didn't used to remember," Oz admitted. "Now I'm starting to."

Her voice trembled a bit. "What does that mean?"

She looked scared of him. He took a minute to think of a way to explain it so that she would understand. "Rogue, if you touched my skin for five seconds, what would happen?"

With a wary look, she said, "You'd probably get a little tired."

"Five minutes?"

She gave him a harder look. "That would be bad."

"What about if you didn't touch me at all?"

At that, she rolled her eyes. "Nothing. I told you that my power only kicks in if I touch other people."

He nodded and turned back to the window. "You control who you touch, so you control your power. When I'm human, I have complete control over my actions. I don't turn anyone – "

She frowned. "You mean like biting them?"

"Exactly. And when I'm a wolf, I know that there are people I can trust to lock me up." Oz looked at her and smiled. "But you don't have to worry. I'm just a human."

Rogue looked skeptical for a minute, then slumped back in her seat. "Yeah right, and I'm just a girl who can't even hold hands normally with her boyfriend."

"Hey."

The girl reluctantly looked up at him, her expression almost a challenge to refute that truth. "I once knew a girl who fell in love with a man she was destined to kill," Oz told her. He frowned. "In fact, she did kill him. But after that, they were able to find a way to make things work."

She raised her eyebrows. "_After_ she killed him?"

He chuckled. "Rogue, I'm a werewolf. But trust me when I say that that's the least of the weird things in my old life."

Although she did not look entirely convinced, she did look slightly happier. A minute went by, then she got to her feet and said, "I'm going to go find Bobby." She turned at the door and said softly, "I hope you have an okay night."

"Thanks."

Then she was gone. Oz looked once again out the window over the snowy grounds and smiled slightly to himself. He never would have imagined that Buffy and Angel's relationship story would be comforting to anyone.

As the sun neared the tops of the pine trees, he met Professor Xavier at the elevator and followed him down to the Danger Room. The door slammed shut and locked, providing him a sense of security just like the two nights before. And again, he waited for the change.

…

The werewolf was intently occupied with tearing the wires and gears out of the chest of one of Xavier's training robots. It was almost two hours after sunset. The robot stood little chance against the razor sharp wolf claws.

It was not long before there was nothing left for the creature to tear out. It left the tangle of metal in the middle of the floor and began prowling the perimeter of the room for something else to destroy.

A low _whoosh_ caught its attention. Curiously, it headed for the source of the noise. The open doorway was interesting. The wolf sniffed the air and bounded through the door.

…

Professor Xavier sat calmly in his wheelchair down the hall from the Danger Room. He heard the werewolf coming toward him before he saw it. When it rounded the corner, it stopped and stared at him.

It did not look quite as menacing up close, though Xavier knew it could, and probably would, kill him given the chance. At the moment, it merely cocked its head, watching him.

Although it was not threatening him at the moment, Xavier knew that he only had a moment to do what he had to do. Possibly only seconds.

He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. When he touched the werewolf's consciousness, it was blinded by rage like it had been the last time he attempted to reach it. But this time, he pushed deeper into the mind, searching for Oz, who had to be buried in there somewhere.

Either the wolf could not sense the psychic probe or it did not care, because it remained pacing at the end of the corridor. Xavier searched through the layers of animal thought, straining his considerable power, until finally he found what he was looking for.

Using what mental strength he had left, he took hold of Oz's consciousness and pulled it toward the surface.

Oz suddenly found himself standing in the hallway beneath the mansion. He felt like he had been blasted awake, as if by a really loud alarm clock. He wasn't supposed to be here, was he?

Professor Xavier was standing at the end of the hall, watching him. Something felt different. Something was wrong. Oz looked down at his hands and felt his heart nearly stop. They were the hands of the werewolf.


	11. Chapter 11

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This is it! I hope you enjoyed the story. I mentioned Mexico in the end because that's one of the few places that Oz says he goes when he's talking to Willow in "New Moon Rising."

The line in italics is from the episode "Wild at Heart."

**DISCLAIMER** I own nothing from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ or _X-Men_.

When he awoke in the Danger Room, Oz tried to convince himself that it had all been a bad dream. The rational part of him (which sounded a lot like Giles) reminded him that when he was a werewolf, he did not dream. Then he saw the open doorway and he knew that it had been real.

Angrily, he threw his clothes on and headed for the elevator. Once he was upstairs, he burst into Xavier's office. "You idiot!" he snarled.

The Professor looked up from his work and chuckled. "I have been called many, many names in my life, my boy, but 'idiot' is not among them."

Fury dulled Oz's normal stoicism. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that stunt was? I could have killed somebody! And who knows what would have happened if I had bitten a mutant."

"Maybe the lycanthropy would have been negated by the pre-existing mutation," Xavier suggested mildly.

"So this was some kind of experiment?" Oz shot back.

Something steely flickered in the old mutant's eyes. "I would never gamble with the safety of my students." Any amusement in his voice had evaporated. Then he sighed and softened. "Oz, your friend Giles told you that we must realize that being a werewolf is a disease, correct?"

Still angry, Oz barely slowed his pacing. "Yeah."

"I have been thinking about that piece of the puzzle," Xavier said. "About how best I can help you. I know that you feel the need to lock yourself up – "

"To protect the people around me," Oz snapped. "And it works. I haven't attacked anyone in a long time."

Xavier waited patiently until Oz was finished, then said, "But is it really helping you?"

He stopped still. "What?"

"You are a human with a disease. For me to be able to help you at all, I could not watch from afar. By locking yourself up, you are preventing me or anyone else from being able to help you." He looked at Oz sympathetically. "I needed to see your mind as it was actively being affected by the virus. I would never have let you hurt anyone."

Oz sat down in a chair opposite the desk, his anger deflating him. "So what was the point of last night?" he asked tiredly.

The Professor merely stared at him for a minute. "How long have you been remembering the wolf's actions?"

"Couple months."

"And what about last night?"

"Of course I remember last night. You woke me up in the middle – " Oz stopped and stared at him. "You woke me up in the middle of the night."

Neither of them said anything. Kitty walked through the door into the office and stopped. "Sorry Professor. I didn't know you were busy."

"It's quite all right, Kitty."

Oz took that opportunity to dart out of the office. Thankfully, no one was around as he headed for his room. He closed the door behind him and looked at the bed that had gone untouched for the past three nights.

He leaned his head against the doorframe and groaned. What was he doing here? These people couldn't help him.

"_So what, this was payback? I had this coming?"_

For the first time since the week he had arrived, he heard Willow's voice again. But she had been wrong. It was not her who had the punishment coming. It was him. He was being punished for all of the people he had hurt by being infected by the wolf.

His duffel bag was on the floor by the foot of the bed. In the back of his van were all of the boxes Devin had sent. They had arrived soon after Oz had called for them. He suspected that Devin had overnighted them to show his anger.

He smiled sadly. Devin had never been the brightest bulb in the box.

As scared and infuriated as he was by Professor Xavier's actions, Oz understood what he was trying to do. That had been the first time that he was aware of actually being a werewolf. The mutant had psychically united Oz's mind with that of the wolf.

He knew that he should be grateful for the breakthrough and he probably would be when the last of his anger faded away. As he sat on the edge of the bed and nudged the bag with his foot, he also knew that he would find nothing else here among Xavier's mutants.

Never having been one for long goodbyes, he stuffed his belongings in his bag. With one last look, he left the room that they had so kindly lent him and headed for the mansion's front door. The full moon behind him, he had four weeks to travel unhindered.

It should not have been a surprise that Xavier, Storm, Scott, Dr. Grey, and the girl Rogue were waiting for him in the foyer. Storm smiled gently. "Leaving without saying goodbye?"

He shrugged. "That kind of stuff, not really my style."

Rogue ran to hug him, tightly but carefully. Then she smiled at him and disappeared into the living room.

Oz was able to keep the sentimentality to a minimum. He thanked the Professor, who smiled wisely and nodded. Scott shook his hand silently, clearly just glad that Oz was leaving.

At last, his found himself in front of Dr. Grey. As usual, she made him think of Willow and the familiar look of pain lit up her tired eyes. Finally he said, "You look like her."

She smiled wanly. "I know. Get yourself back to her someday."

He nodded. Dr. Grey handed him a slip of paper. "It's the address of a geneticist in Mexico. He's known for theorizing on mysticism and science. He may be able to help you."

"Thanks."

Storm handed him his bag and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye."

With a final wave to the mutants that Xavier had called the "X-Men," Oz opened the mansion's door and climbed into his van. He turned the key, felt the engine shudder to life, and pulled out onto the forest road.

Step one on his road back to Sunnydale was done. In his pocket, he could feel the slip of paper that Dr. Grey had given him. Time for Step Two.


End file.
